New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-06
DUMAS'S "FRANClLLON."
A DRAMA OF REPRIsALS IN UNFAITHFUL-
MEAS

Alexandra Dumas the younger is the literary nou
of the hour. His new light drama, " Francilon'" Is
Landed up to the skies by The critics, ard Is I'D soo
better than ANYTHING he has produced o" 'no
stage of the Fancais for many years. u had 'un 40
well az wit ] should think OF comparing II I'D quaiiy
to Sheridans Rivals" But 1t is MOI droll nor hdn'o'
anywhere, although bright and alert from oegin
ming to end. Before Dumas's daughters grew up, no
preached his dramas that husbands should Kill err
ing wives Since they grew up, and one of them is
married. he has turned round to that what is sauce
for the goose il for the gander ana that the
vices OF man are ate. dcd with as bad effects from
family and social point OF view as the wees OF q
woman. The injury he works does not run I'd lines
parallel 10 the harm she does and that Is ALL n
vicious wOmans action posterity Ia Narrowly
limited by nature That OF vicious man may have
much wider area II she can make the family hetero-
ceneous and bring into it elements OF discord ho
i'm oy ershes the home and causes ruin in all direc-
TONS All this come home strongly TO the younger
Dumas OF late years lie has an ns'rlG9s esah,p l
ever present to his mind of the evils which loose
lite bring upon His father ended his lire Win
n softened brain, and penn less Yet nature naa
piiI ed him with the strength oi giant and mind
that should lave been incxhaustbe and able 10 pear
I'D against the fatigues OF unlimited literary prouuc.
ton w en- he died n an lmbecile state, he was not
q very old man indeed very little oder t"ah Ills SUI
now is.
Dumas wrote Francillon " at the bedside Of bis
daughter. Madame LipInann when she was Ill OF
twp old lever and he attend ng her tie orgi-
ualy intended TO call it The Unknown lnconnul:
Since then he recast part of 1t according h ideas that
cropped up In his brain WIN ne vas Donald
Crawford however, was bored with the fdgety. sds-
oicious ieao1-y and Over-i0ndness OF her husband.
whereas the heroine OF Dumas's new drama has 10
complain of b n neglected by hers the whole
drama passes in single rOnm whica is the repr0nuc-
ton OF Madame Auoertin's h Ill in the Avenue &c Mes
SIM. II Is magnifc apartment and furnished in
a grand style. The central personages are comie
and comtesse husband aud wife: The " Comte
Febvre" is neither young nor old lie Ia quite inc
gentleman, ond clearly belongs to the wealthy, IDLE
class of men who make pleasure Their serious ccupa
ton He il of those who respect the code OF mo
rail- v accepted by the SOCIAL str tam TO which they
belong. For instance, be- would not betriy 10" tue
whole world a woman OF his own RANK with whom he
had an intrigue and we're his wife untrue ne wclid
suffer torture rather than get her locked up WIN ds
ord rly women in the gaO OF st. Lazare In all things
he is correct-nccor,ng to the ideas held by men Oh
his station. II. il the son nj O" Marquis ae nVe-
ROLES" who more WIT and philosophy ana looks AT
lite from the easy eighteenth century point o' view.
The Comtesse Ia OF equally high family, and h'sE
large fortune OF her own She is perfectly VlrtnOus
and is chiefly DESTROYS OF tres'de happiness. more
aff.rtionate rght-minded woman could not exist Her
iallings lean to virtues side and her impusvcness
il simply the result OF q very generous disposition.
Nine. Barte' personates her admirably
NJ and Nine. dc Riverolles have been entertain
ing as they constantly do four very Intimate frenhs
One OF them Ia " Baroness smith, an epcurean
dame who takes good-natured view OF masculine
weakne.ses and who. when her husband is tired OF
her company, sackens the conjnga rein The Others
are three bachelors. ciums OF the " COnte' VINO a.
lows them 10 become DOdy Ruuu VI No
young wife They are so intimate with her lhai they
have transformed her pet name OF trancine INTO
the more boyish OF FrancIllon,' By which ,hey
address her. or these Cariii'c often sn1ers from
dyspepsa and ia thinking OF getting married 10 An
pette sister of DE Riverolles,' so a. TO have an
agree bic table companion whose CAV tak wiz neip
him to digest his thinner IN" Others are - M. ae
Grapiedeon and NJ. Stanville de Symeux who Is
called " Stan tor shortness. Frannl0n," tn"ngh
81 v.rtunus. has the free ways OF IN idoip hoyden;
he friends with wuom the Comic has surrohhdeu
her are decidedly "queer." They treat her as Tree
and easv romp, thew tease her they kiss her they
undo her hair in the presence OF nep 70 see
whether 1t is "a long that OF " Rose NJ chon,
demi monde who is the mistress OF Stan anu
has thrown one feelsl spell upon DE Riveroies'
rbe talk of the friend. and Francne h so tree aud
easy that Annette" ha. alwa when they are al her
brothers TO leave tho aft"r dinurr u Ia Just
then that make tho acquaintance OF tne heroine.
The gentlemen return from the smoking room an
Frapcine" pours out coffee THIS act OF hospitality
Is not usual fashionable Paris an lady ponrs out
but leaves to tho domestic the task OF pouring our
coffee The chuns talk about Rose Michpn" which
exasperates tue Comtesse she knows that before
Stan took up with Rose che was the favorte of
i4tei, the "Comte" was bachelor too TIE
Baroness and the other guests leave. Franc ne
divnes that her husband is sliding back to Rose
meriecs strikes eleven and he prepares To- 60 ont
She asks where he is gong To his THIS she
feels is story and questions further ne at isi con-
tesses that he is go ng to the bal de FOpera Fran
cine wants to 90 with him, but he refuses 10 take
her. She Expresses suspic on OF arendezvous, which
no as good admits. Then she run" up the equal
rights flag and ys to him: II discover tha you are
carrying with another woman shal not only take
lover but be the first to tell yon that have done so
Nevertheless he leave. her. She then mules nD IN
mantle of velvet lined with fur and wraps her head
round with lace. Her excitement shows that shc
means 70 carry ont her threat The valet is thunder
struck at tho Comtesse running out unattended 40
late at night. .
lowed her husand first his club and then TO the bal
dc rOpera, aud watched from box the Comics
Irritation with Rose M'chon." 1t ia " Fran'nr
IA; in, IN oh
ing against her lord and master She tells nun tna as
he was kissing tho back OF Roses neck. NJ: st
H-un was hease hm I'D terms @
followed DE Rivcrollcs and Rose to the Maison
dor whittier they went to sup. Her companion on
the - Comics uose He did not know her name nor
she bis She gave Eugene. the waiter at the Maison
dor ten napceons tor telling her IN what room the
Comte and Rose were sIpping and for showing
her and her chance companion to the one next It,
Eugene made no bones" about giving the iniorrna-
ton asked. thin partition separated the two supper
rooms 40 that she heard all the bursts OF laughter OF
tho Conte and " Rose and was struck with many
periods o, silence Francine" In the fullest sense of
the phrase carried ont her Threat and made nisnt
of H." The Comte might kill her it he liked. but
he could not kill that fact. He had walowed In the
m,re and so had she, and although she felt degraded
and wretched she would do over again. 10 puniHh hm
all that she had confessed.
This acme ia one of the most astoundiugy brilliant
that was ever listened to. There is no proof wanted
10 Establish tho completeness OF her reprisals. She
gives h. number she received at the costumers when
IA Mile Amanda she LETT her velvet cloak there and
b. ought away a mask and gray domino She throws
at her tho number OF the cab in which she fol-
lowed him to his club, and then to the Opera House
the bill for supper tor two at the Mai.on dOr Ii No.
O AMI tslls him TO refer to Eugene tO know what he
iady was like who ordered the meal The Comte goes
TO strike her She tells him to kill her. He then says
sbe "A out of her mind "Not So" che answers; and
ith ,Sat leave. the room crying "a she does when
she aces him eIasperated and trembling with emotion.
Would to heaven that were able to make you suffer
Just half as much as have done. l..
What Ia he to dol Francins Is woman OF too
bh snirit to be bullied or cowed He telephones to
h,s nota'v To como to him and summons the
aR.ronessp his three chums and his father All come
AZ once ave the notary. The old Marquis de Rive
quite enter. into tn. .v view: ct ss.Sn to Il:
.op vo,ne girl. rich end noble as he vas, and
thoroughly thor charming wa. condded to him. He swore
to her fidelity and protection" but instead Of being
her w loving guide he took her about 70 h ns s o